WASH Specialist - UNICEF (Apply by: May 28, 2016)

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

WASH Specialist, NOC, KOLKATA
(This vacancy is open to Indian Nationals only)

Duty Station: Kolkata

Job Level: NOC

Application Close: 28-May-2016

Contract Type: Long-term Staff (FT) 

PURPOSE OF THE POST:

Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief of Field Office, responsible for facilitating and influencing the State Government’s evidence based policy, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and documentation for equity based WASH sector plans and programmes and convergence with other flagship programmes that benefit children and mothers in the state of West Bengal.

The incumbent works at both the state and district level. S/he also takes programmatic lead and seek technical direction and sector specific guidance from WASH Section, Delhi.

KEY END-RESULTS:

• Provide leadership to state programme priority as programme lead and develop strategy papers, approaches and innovative models for achieving convergent results for women and children focusing in priority districts.
• Develop strategic partnerships with CSOs/FBOs for facilitating community based and community led social movements for elimination of open defecation at scale.
• Upstream advocacy and leveraging resources for improving the service delivery to reach the marginalized and most deprived communities. 
• Timely sectoral analysis, input, support and collaboration to the Situation Analysis and its periodic update made for effective programme planning, development and management, including emergency preparedness and response.
• Knowledge management effectively promoted through drafting/finalizing key WASH sectoral programme documents and reports, sharing good practice, lessons learned, and knowledge/information exchange. 
• Quality of rights-based WASH programmes effectively promoted, and coherence, synergy and value added to programme management process through results-based management and strategies.
• Sectoral work plan and activities formulated, implemented and monitored, ensuring alignment with the defined programme strategies and approaches. Programme monitored with special attention to gender/sex disaggregation of relevant indicators.
• Programme delivery, evaluation and reporting carried out efficiently, rigorously and transparently in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.
• UNICEF’s global goals effectively promoted through advocacy and policy dialogue in the WASH sector.
• Proper and timely UNICEF and Government accountability ensured regarding supply, non-supply and emergency assistance as well as disbursement of programme funds for the WASH sector.

• Effective communication and networking achieved through partnership and collaboration including support to the IASC WASH Cluster. 

ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS:

1. Programme/Project Planning, Development and Management.
• Enhance effective programme, sectoral or inter-sectoral, planning, development and management by leading, guiding, coordinating and supporting the timely completion of the Situational Analysis and its periodic update through accurate and complete monitoring and analysis, and the timely preparation or finalization of sectoral input. 
• Ensure inclusion and delivery on sectoral leadership responsibilities including leadership and facilitation of the IASC WASH Cluster.

2. Knowledge Management:
• Promote knowledge management by exchange of knowledge, information, situation analysis, experience or lessons learned; promote knowledge sharing and technical input or recommendations on major programme directions and on introduction of new initiatives in the country.

3. Rights-Based Programme with Results-Based Approach:
• Promote the quality of rights-based WASH programme and programmes through participation in the formulation of programme/project goals, strategies and approaches. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to programme management processes using a results-based management approach to planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

4. Sectoral Work Plan Development, Implementation, and Monitoring:
• Takes primary responsibility for the development of the sectoral work plan and technical decisions as well as for project management, implementation and monitoring of assigned project/sectoral activity, in compliance with the defined project strategies and approaches. Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender/sex disaggregated data.

5. Programme Management, Delivery, Evaluation and Reporting:
• Ensure programme efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation. Participation in major evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector review meetings with government counterparts. Ensure the preparation of annual WASH sector status reports. 
• Ensure adequate and transparent evaluation of emergency preparedness and response.

6. Promotion of UNICEF’s Global Goals:
• Promote the organization goals of UNICEF through advocacy and policy dialogue through active engagement in communication, networking and participation at every opportunity inside and outside UNICEF, leveraging the strength of UNICEF mission, goals and programmes, and reference to the WASH strategy.

7. UNICEF and Government Accountability:

• Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring proper and timely UNICEF and Government accountability. Certifies disbursements of funds, monitors and submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.
• Advocate for due attention and support to be given to environmental and sustainable development issues (pertaining to WASH) in all sectors and line Ministries.
• Ensure adequate attention is given to Disaster Risk Management, including emergency preparedness and response.

8. Communication, Collaboration, Networking and Partnership:

• Collaborate with Communication and Programme Communication groups to ensure development of effective communication materials and strategies to support advocacy, social mobilization and emergency efforts.

• Overall coordination with WASH colleagues, Regional Advisers and HQ Officers. Collaborate with other Project, Programme and Emergency Officers to ensure the integration of the project/sectoral programme with other sectors.
• Collaborate with the Operations and Supply Sections and Government authorities to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of WASH programme or sectoral planning and implementation, to coordinate financial and supply management requirements as well as to ensure accountability.
• Interact with Government and other partners, NGOs, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of WASH programme/project implementation to follow up on agreements and recommendations. Provide technical support and guidance on appropriate technical, financial and institutional capacity building measures to achieve WASH programme goals, including humanitarian response. 

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education: 
• Advanced university degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Public Health, Civil Engineering, Sanitation Engineering, MBA or a field relevant to international WASH related development assistance.
• Additional training in Health Education or Communication for Development (Programme Communication), an asset.

Work Experience:
• Five years of progressively responsible professional work experience in the UN or other international development organization, national government or the private sector. Field work experience. 
• Background/familiarity with Emergency (preparedness and response) and the IASC Cluster approach.

Language Proficiency:
Fluency in English and Hindi. Knowledge of local working language of the duty station an asset. 

If you meet the above mentioned requirements, click on the following link to APPLY.
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=495962

Only applications of short listed candidates will be acknowledged. 

Candidates are informed that all applications are subject to background verification which may include academic and professional experience.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process including application, interview, meeting, traveling, processing, training etc. UNICEF is a non-smoking working environment.